Fashion in the 90's was inclined to a new minimalistic style, and clothing of stark simplicity was adopted. In 1993 the vogue was a new style based on the recycling of clothing. Two American designers, George Hansen and Susan Deputy, promoted a new trend towards making garments out of old pieces of clothing, car upholstery, seat belts, dishcloths and even registration numbers. Recycling fashion was understood as a fight against waste and in favour of protecting the environment.

Fashion at the end of the 20th century moved away from the sexy styles aimed at the glamorous femme fatale of the 80s. Designers started making clothes suitable for women who simply wanted comfortable, wearable garments. Designer Ann Demeulemeester built her designs on contradictions, introducing contrasting elements that appealed to women who dressed to please themselves and wanted to express their individuality rather slavishly follow trends. Retro clothing inspired by the 1960s and 1970s was popular for much of the 1990s.

The late 1960s and earlier 1970s saw the flowering of a romantic style of dress with the revival of earlier fashions. Victorian long skirts, frilled blouses and laced boots were the rage again. The hippie movement of the 70s introduced a new fashion trend distinguished by long, loose and colorful Indian or South American garments. In the late 70s Japanese designers introduced a style characterized by the use of wrapped, layered and untailored clothing. An alternative style of dress emerged from the Skinheads of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They wore collar-less shirts, ankle-length trousers and bovver boots.

The 70s was a decade of upset and turmoil: the Watergate scandal, Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement, among others. In response to these events, cultures and subcultures developed and created Punk and Glam, movements that involved opposition to authority expressed through shocking behavior, clothes and hair, and loud music. Punk rockers introduced a subversive and anti-style symbolized by the use of clothes that were bizarre and shocking. Although the aim was to show a rejection of fashion and its conventions, in the long term fashion itself absorbed and modified part of the style.

The sober fashion that had dominated the 90s was abandoned and a new style of clothing was in vogue, mostly in the hands of designers like Gianni Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. The new collections revived colorful clothing and feminine styles. Rounded hips, corsets, and platforms started to be the mode. Music styles were again a very prominent influence. Followers of Hip Hop, for example, wore huge baggy jeans with full patterned shirts and black shoes. Another music style, Disco, popularized color coordinated outfits, heels for men and strappy high-heels for women, evening leather sandals and black suede high boots. In the late seventies, a new and distinctive fashion style arose, brought about by Hip Hop music. This new trend was characterized by the use of baggy pants, oversized athletic jerseys, expensive sneakers and baseball caps.

After the glamorous 80s, the 90s saw a trend towards fluidity and simplicity. The style during the 90's did not introduce new changes, but revived the last few decades. Later on, as the 21st century approached, there was a sudden rise in the popularity of clothes with sleek, futuristic designs, and even business suits were made of colorful fabrics and new materials that gave a techno feel. This style, however, was not very popular among ordinary people and was not commonplace in the streets. In the 21st century retro styles revived again, and people started wearing tie-dyed t-shirts and bell botomms that had been popular in previous decades. Retro clothing was very popular and worn by people all around the world.

The early 00's were characterized by a continuation of the minimalist look of the 90s. Later on, designers began to adopt a more colorful, feminine, excessive, and 'anti-modern' look. There was a tendency towards free style, and people wore different clothing that was not restricted to one style. Teenagers might wear baggy jeans combined with leather or denim jackets, no matter if these pieces of clothing belonged to different fashion trends. Name brands became particularly important among young people and many celebrities launched their own lines of clothing. Music had a considerable influence on popular fashion, and people tended to dress according to beliefs rather than according to trends.